“Human-Furry Bonds: The Hearts We Share”
Founded in the 1950s, Nan Fung Textiles was once one of Hong Kong’s largest textile factories. Today, The Mills is Nan Fung Group’s landmark revitalization project, it bears witness to the history of the textile industry in Hong Kong. Serving as Hong Kong’s first pet-friendly venue, we provide a space for pet owners and furry friends to engage freely while also promoting social cohesion and the concept of human-pet integration. Over the past 5 years, The Mills has evolved into a pet-friendly cultural hub, witnessing countless precious moments and growth between owners and their furry friends.
Pets are our family members and loyal friends, showing us a lifetime of love. Taking this opportunity, The Mills is hosting the interactive art exhibition “Human-Furry Bonds: The Hearts We Share”, inviting 7 illustrators from Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan to exhibit over 60 artworks, leading audiences on a journey of exploration with their furry friends. Some of the exhibits are being displayed for the first time.
The exhibition is divided into 4 parts: “First Sight “, “Grumpy Mischief”, “Rainbow Bridge”, and “Unconditional Love”, each representing the various phases of companionship between humans and their furry friends. From the excitement and joy of the first meeting, to navigating through the rebellious teenage years with their pets during the “grumpy mischief” phase, then witnessing the unavoidable parting at the “Rainbow Bridge” as the pets age and face illness, leading to a gradual healing of the soul in the face of loss, and lastly, the enduring memories of the pets known as ” Unconditional Love.” Through the artworks capturing precious moments of each stage, it prompts deep reflections on the experiences of love and companionship.
Remarks:
- One person, one ticket for the exhibition, free admission for pets
- This exhibition has pet-friendly rules.
- Children under 3 years old or under 100cm in height need to be accompanied by an adult for free admission.
Participating Illustrators
Rainbow Leung, was born and raised up in Hong Kong. She studied and graduated from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University School of Design 2005 and City University of Hong Kong, School of Creative Media 2008.
The coruscating young artist was nurtured and greatly impacted from her root, Ha Wo Che village Shatin, a suburb in Hong Kong. Where she finds and feels the connection with the nature, the animals and the people.
Rainbow has published “Sheung Ha Wo Che Village” in 2009 and “Hong Kong Citizen Dictionary” In 2012. She duplicated the naked lives and different stories of common people throughout observations and interviews then lively interpreted by illustrations with her unpretentious gratitude. In recent years, Rainbow has shared her wisdom of life learned from nature through comics. Her work is “Cats and Dogs never die” which has won the Hong Kong Publishing Biennial Awards 2021 (Illustration book) and was selected as one of the Top Ten in the 18th Hong Kong Reading City Reading Awards.The latest comic book “Cats and Dogs never die 2 Love wins all” published in 2024, combining life experience with comics.
Rainbow is now an enthusiastic art tutor having her own workshop “Rainbow Connection” whereby established in 2016. She teaches drawing for students from different age groups and devotes herself to accomplish different educational and community art projects at the same time.
In 2017 Rainbow was commissioned by M+Rover to run a school tour followed with a wide range of outdoor art activities. This significant event won the Award for Arts Education 2017 from the HK Art Development Council. Her current column is serialized in the Sunday MingPao.
Visual Artist from Hong Kong, curious in bits of everything, she loves finding inspiration from the vibrant city life and the human nature relationship, the spirituality and tradition of Gods is her hidden passion. Deep down a laid back person but unwilling ordinary, she always feels blessed to still be a free soul through creating.
“GILIGULU” has been exhibited in Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong, and other locations. In recent years, it participated in the PMQ Detour 2023 exhibition and collaborated with the international brand CASETiFY to release electronic accessories featuring GILIGULU illustrations.
GILIGULU uses bright blocks of color to depict a group of monsters and animals that are not accepted by mainstream society. Through their mischievous behavior, they attempt to bring more joy and innocence to the world.
With quirky expressions, exaggerated movements, and vibrant colors, GILIGULU creates a lively world of illustrations. Each artwork is an exciting adventure, transforming everyday moments into a humorous visual feast. In the world of GILIGULU, we aim to create a relaxed and playful atmosphere, helping the audience find resonance and appreciate the beauty in life’s small moments.
matsui is a rising illustrator born in Aichi Prefecture, currently residing in Gifu Prefecture. After graduating from Nagoya University of Arts and Sciences with a degree in visual media in 2019, he officially began creating his “Dog” series in 2022.
matsui’s illustrations are highly recognizable, characterized by a bold style that employs vibrant primary colors such as red, yellow, and blue, combined with thick lines and striking contrasts. This unique approach has allowed him to stand out in the industry.
His main subject matter revolves around dogs, infused with humor and heartwarming scenarios that express his endless love and admiration for these animals.
matsui has gained popularity among various galleries in Japan, with his works displayed in several locations including VINYLTOKYO, DDD ART, TOKYO PiXEL, Anicoremix Gallery, and OPEN STUDIO in Tokyo, as well as DOG GOODS & CAFE SHEi in Yokohama and Gallery CONTAINER in Fukuoka.
In just two years, matsui’s work has garnered significant attention not only in the illustration community but also from well-known brands. He has collaborated with luxury department store Harvey Nichols, Japanese fashion group BEAMS, and mobile accessory brand CASETiFY, keeping the momentum of his “Dog” series alive and thriving.
Natsumi Teraoka born in 1993. Illustrator. Characterized by soft lines. She specializes in drawings of dogs and animals. She mainly creates CD jackets and goods for music artists, illustrations for books, and packages for confectioneries, etc.
Korean illustrator Nyangsongi is a “Fat Cat Butler” and renowned for her exceptional talent in capturing the adorable charm of cats through her illustrations. Her creative journey began several years ago with a dedicated focus on portraying the endearing qualities of feline companions in her artwork.
Nyangsongi is committed to translating her inspiration onto canvas. Each of her works is accompanied by a story, allowing her to infuse emotions into every piece. Her illustrations often revolve around everyday life, featuring heartwarming depictions of cats in various daily scenarios. Through her vivid artworks, she captures the friendly and mischievous traits of cats, reflecting moments of joy and sorrow in life. Audience can find comfort and delight in Nyangsongi’s beautiful cat illustrations and heartwarming narratives.
The Notail Banana Animal School is an animal-friendly education center situated within Kaohsiung’s Pier-2 Art Center, founded by illustrator Chin Lun Lee. At the institution, they advocate the principle of “knowing before adopting.” Utilizing a “storytelling” approach, they design courses and toolkits. They hope to inspire people to respect and empathize with companion animals, understand how to establish relationships with them, and ultimately build the ability and responsibility to become a pet owner.
